Massmart has and continues to invest significantly in ecommerce as a strategic growth vector.

This year’s Black Friday period showed more South Africans focused on filling their online shopping carts, with ecommerce showing positive year-on-year growth, while brick-and-mortar sales declined.

Ongoing economic volatility and low consumer confidence means that brands will need to be agile and ready to pivot to address unpredictable consumer demand.

The Black Friday period is expected to create over 150 000 job opportunities across the South African economy, with the ecommerce sector expected to encompass a significant portion of these short-term roles.

Despite being at a nascent stage, Amazon’s imminent arrival in the local ecommerce space will "definitely" foster competition in SA’s burgeoning online retail market.

Registration is now open for South African sellers to jump on board the Amazon saleswagon as it prepares to take on Takealot.

Given the diversity of the market - with varying levels of digital maturity, lifestyle and income - it’s important to understand the evolving needs and key purchase drivers of diverse consumer segments as one size doesn’t fit all.

In an industry that is evolving so rapidly, tertiary institutions need to keep up with the pace of change in ecommerce and ensure their graduates are equipped with the right skills when they enter the working world.

Cabinet wants to see meaningful participation of South Africans and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the growing online business space

By 2026, South Africa's ecommerce sector will catch up with more established markets.